Labor On The Move: Durazo & Andrews Elected To AFL-CIO Executive Council

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

The AFL-CIO recently elected Maria Elena Durazo (right), Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County AFL-CIO, and James Andrews (below), President of the North Carolina AFL-CIO, to two newly-created seats on the AFL-CIO’s Executive Council. "The new members of the Executive Council represent workers in all professions across the country who are working to make their workplaces and communities better," said AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka. "I look forward to working with our new members who bring great experience, energy and new ideas to the AFL-CIO Executive Council.” Before leading the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Durazo served as President of UNITE HERE Local 11. In 1996, she became the first Latina elected to the Executive Board of HERE International and in 2004 she became Executive Vice President of UNITE HERE International. Andrews served as the North Carolina State AFL-CIO’s Secretary-Treasurer for 13 years before being elected President. Originally from Warren County, NC, he helped organize a union at his plant in Henderson before becoming Director of NC Frontlash in 1974. A Vietnam veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart, James is the first full-time elected African-American state federation president in the country’s history. The new positions were created by the AFL-CIO Executive Council “for the purpose of promoting and establishing diversity as well as giving a greater role to state and local labor leaders,” reports the AFL-CIO. – photo (right) courtesy YWCA, (left) courtesy NC AFL-CIO